Not diet as in lose weight, diet as in what I eat. You know, how the Europeans use the word.

I've done a complete 180 in the kind of foods I eat in the past month or so. I used to make really healthy foods from scratch, eat breakfast, and other good diet habits. Then, one day, out of convienience, I bought some canned soups for lunches. I started eating these canned soups almost everyday. Then I bought frozen meals for lunches and started eating those along with the canned foods. Now, when I wake up, I'm hungry, but nothing sounds appetizing. So I wait and wait until I'm so hungry I end up pulling the car over and buying a bag of greasy potato chips or I'll eat at subway. Recently, the same thing started happening, but now also at night! So all I want to eat is processed foods like vegan sausages and french fries for dinner.

Do you think you can become addicted to processed foods? Is it just the salt and fat content that I'm addicted to? I have to choke down healthy foods that I used to love. What is happening!?

You may want to check out The End of Overeating by Dr. David Kessler. Or at least google and and get the premise.

Basically, yes, you could be addicted to processed foods and their combination of fat, salt, and sugar. Also your brain knows that you will be rewarded for eating the processed bit, so you're compelled to eat like that.

I'm not an RD or anything, but I've found eating clean for a couple of weeks should help you get back into the habit of eating wholesome foods. It stinks though because sometimes you just need something convenient. I've been going through something similar, and with winter and whatnot, all I want is something quick and hot. I moved from eating mostly processed food to eating almost all whole foods, but then I picked up things for convenience, or I heard they were good, now I'm trying to get back into it.

Good luck!!

_________________I would eat Dr. Cow pocket cheese in a second. I would eat it if you hid it under your hat, or in your backpack, but not if it was in your shoe. That's where I draw the line. -allularpunk

Yes, this happens to me too. It starts with just a few processed foods or sugary things, but then it snowballs. You just have to somehow break the cycle! I am trying to get excited about new recipes (cooking from AFR this week), so I plan over the weekend what I am going to make, food shop, and then just get home and cook. I try not to give myself the option of something junky. And then you have leftovers for lunch the next day too! Eventually, you think less about all the junk and more about regular food.

This happens to me all the time, usually related to bouts of fatigue though. To feel less hard done by I give myself permission to eat the junk food but add veggies to the meal. As the week goes on I find I'm eating less of the junk and more of the veggies as my body enjoys the nutrition and the fullness from the extra fibre. Store bought hummus is also a good junk food re-placer, especially the olive and tomato one (we have great store hummus here), I never feel deprived after stuffing myself with hummus sammiches for lunch and it still has the convenience. It can also be eaten with crisps in the car and followed by fruit for lunch on the go.

I've gotten into those too. Usually, it's when I'm busy and just don't have/make time to cook. I just bought the Thrive Diet book, plus Appetite For Reduction, and also Tony Horton's P90X companion book, all of which sing the praises of lots of fruits and veggies and whole grains and things, so I've been cooking and bringing my lunches again.

Something that I find really helps is looking through blogs and cookbooks for inspiration and also making things in advance. For instance, last night I had some free time, so I made a big batch of tempeh salad that I'm now taking for lunch today. I'm a lot more likely to feel like a good breakfast if I've got something healthy and tasty already made, than if I have to make something from scratch. I've been liking smoothies a lot lately, which are quick and easy, and also homemade granola, which I made a big batch of, and is just in tupperware, waiting to be dished out. Hell, you can even make your own convenience foods, like energy bars, crackers, kale chips, whatever.

_________________These shitbirds should pay for their own elections if they aren't going to be obligated by any democratic pretense. - MumblesDon't you know that vegan meat is the gateway drug to chicken addiction? Because GMO and trans-fats. - kaerlighed

I tried to break it the other day with a quinoua salad that had roasted onions, sweet potato, mushrooms, and onion with a maple/dijon dressing, but it's been sitting in my fridge untounched. So has two containers of hummus. It's absolutely out of character for me.

I think I need to buy some fresh sandwhich ingredients and go from there. Or make a big pot of minestrone soup tonight.

Would you mind driving the quinoua salad up to Sacramento, that sounds amazing :). Something I learned is start small, I have gone though phases where I try and cut all bad things out and only eat healthy, and it always seems to back fire. Try having a day of the week where you eat or drink something bad, I have soda Fridays where I will have a soda pop of some sort, and don't get down on yourself, stay positive.

_________________" It was my dog Boycott who led me to question the right of humans to eat other sentient beings."— Cesar Chavez

I find myself acting like a complete addict about junk food. I don't understand or like it at all. Like, When I tried to get my money out to go get some, and realized that I'd misjudged how much I had and didn't actually have any money, I nearly threw a fit.

Its definitely a pattern for me, I had relatively kicked my junk food habit about 6 months ago, and then I got a job at a junky fast food place and the only things they had on the menu that were vegan were chips and candy. I started eating more and more junk food, and I didn't see much of a difference because I was riding my bike so much, but I started cooking even less and then quit my job and stopped riding...

Not only is it troublesome for my health (very bad nutrition) but its expensive and really phenomenally bad for my body image... I'm going to pick up that book as soon as I have the money to do so.... .-.

While I'm not glad someone else is going through the problems I am, I'm happy to know I'm not the only one. I make good food and hate it, throw it in the fridge and my partner eats it... then I end up eating noodles with soy sauce or something equally salty and horrid.

_________________http://seraphsong.blogspot.com/Guilty of Being Sprite - They're probably just waiting for the camera egg to hatch, which would then create a much larger camera they'd quickly find.

This happens to me sometimes. I feel like I'm just coming out of a more recent bout of it. I was really busy last semester and so I ate a bunch of frozen food and I ate out a lot. On the nights where I did have time to cook I found myself wanting to eat out instead. The sodium and fat in that stuff is absolutely addicting, but luckily I don't think it's a very hard addiction to break. Since I realized how out of control it was I started cooking almost every night again, getting AFR and Color Me Vegan has helped quite a bit with that. It helps to have new, awesome recipes to be excited about. Just force yourself to cook, even if you really! really! really! don't want to. I don't think it matters if what you make necessarily falls into the category of "healthy" because it's still 10 times better than eating frozen-y prepackaged stuff and you'll eventually get used to not eating it as much again.

This is the story of my life. I've always eaten junk. I come from a family that eats really poorly and I grew up thinking pizza was the best thing ever. I got AFR and everything I've made has been delicious, but after I eat a healthy dinner I then snack the night away even when I'm not really hungry.

This hasn't happened to me to the extent that it has you, but I get it when I eat heaps of Oreos or something. I eat a couple, then I eat the rest, then the next day I just want more Oreos and other junk. If I keep eating badly like that, I end up with crazy headaches and just feeling like shiitake. Every time. Remembering how bad it makes me feel and how poorly I function with headaches like that helps me to avoid it.

To be honest the only thing that got me out of my recent junk food funk (which had been going on for a LONG time) was being broke. I had to make my own lunches and snacks to work and cook healthy, filling foods from scratch.

Now I just don't bring any extra money to work so if I am tempted to buy something junky I can't and I make sure I am prepared. I make meal plans, buy what I need and nothing else. I make sure I have something crunchy, savoury and sweet so I can snack depending on my mood and I make a big pot of soup on Monday nights, which I then use for work that week and freeze any that is leftover. Also making double portions when I am cooking and then freezing half of that so that I can just pop something in the microwave after work if I really don't feel like cooking.

When I decide to eat some junk food (see: fried, fatty, salty) I know that I'm going to end up craving it again the next day. Sometimes I'll go through a few days where I'm craving these things and I keep eating them. Your body craves stuff like that, especially when you let yourself get too hungry. I'd say, instead of blowing your budget on processed stuff, spend some money on some avocados. Whenever I get this craving I like to eat an avocado straight up with some salt and pepper. It gives me the fatty/salty taste I want without spending a ton of money or eating too much bad fat.

This is easier said than done, though. I know. Just try to plan ahead and keep healthy things around to eat.

Thanks, this is really helpful. I thought what was happening was unusual.

There's an extra layer going on that may also shed some light, I'm not sure.

I've always, my entire life, eaten fresh-cooked, non-processed, healthy foods. Growing up, the only canned food my Dad used in his cooking was canned tomatoes and canned beans. Now, as an adult, I'm allowing myself what feels like indulgences. It started about a year ago with ordering fries instead of salad on the side. Then I started buying tator tots to snack on at home. And eventually, where I'm at right now.

I'm wondering since this is the first time I've really eaten poorly (processed foods, high fat, high sodium foods) my entire life if it's something I need to get out of my system, and that's why it's so bad.

I definitely don't think that's unusual at all. It happens to me too. I'm usually a pretty healthy eater, focusing mostly on whole foods, but sometimes I'll get into a weird rut where I'll eat fries once and I'll crave them every day for a week. And since I live in a residence, where fries are available at every meal, it's sometimes hard to say no to them. I usually just end up feeling so crappy after a few days of eating that way, that I go back to my usual way of eating, although it takes a coupe of days I find. I definitely make an effort to not keep junk around, since I don't crave it unless it's in my room.

Thanks, this is really helpful. I thought what was happening was unusual.

There's an extra layer going on that may also shed some light, I'm not sure.

I've always, my entire life, eaten fresh-cooked, non-processed, healthy foods. Growing up, the only canned food my Dad used in his cooking was canned tomatoes and canned beans. Now, as an adult, I'm allowing myself what feels like indulgences. It started about a year ago with ordering fries instead of salad on the side. Then I started buying tator tots to snack on at home. And eventually, where I'm at right now.

I'm wondering since this is the first time I've really eaten poorly (processed foods, high fat, high sodium foods) my entire life if it's something I need to get out of my system, and that's why it's so bad.

Maybe you are having a bit of rebellion? It could be good to get it out of your system and as I said earlier don't beat yourself up.

_________________" It was my dog Boycott who led me to question the right of humans to eat other sentient beings."— Cesar Chavez

Thanks, this is really helpful. I thought what was happening was unusual.

There's an extra layer going on that may also shed some light, I'm not sure.

I've always, my entire life, eaten fresh-cooked, non-processed, healthy foods. Growing up, the only canned food my Dad used in his cooking was canned tomatoes and canned beans. Now, as an adult, I'm allowing myself what feels like indulgences. It started about a year ago with ordering fries instead of salad on the side. Then I started buying tator tots to snack on at home. And eventually, where I'm at right now.

I'm wondering since this is the first time I've really eaten poorly (processed foods, high fat, high sodium foods) my entire life if it's something I need to get out of my system, and that's why it's so bad.

I definitely did this. My mom cooked everything from scratch. We did have canned vegetables like corn and peas though. And she baked a lot. But I got super addicted to junk food as a teenager because I spent my own money on it, and it was because we never had it in the house. It was "I can pick my own food" snub to my mom.

_________________~Sweet songs the youth, the wise, the meeting of all wisdom. To believe in the good in man.

What gets me back on track is a solid green smoothie in the morning. My partner makes it with a banana, a half cup of almond milk, half cup of water, half cup of frozen kale and a tablespoon of almond butter along with a tablespoon of flax seed. Its cold, creamy and sweet and it fills you up and leaves you satieted with necessary micronutrients.

Steph wrote:

ndpittman wrote:

You may want to check out The End of Overeating by Dr. David Kessler. Or at least google and and get the premise.

I second this. I got the audiobook from the library and it was way better than I expected, and also the concepts really stuck with me

I loved the book as well.

_________________My oven is bigger on the inside, and it produces lots of wibbly wobbly, cake wakey... stuff. - The PoopieB.

...I'd say, instead of blowing your budget on processed stuff, spend some money on some avocados. Whenever I get this craving I like to eat an avocado straight up with some salt and pepper... This is easier said than done, though. I know. Just try to plan ahead and keep healthy things around to eat.

yep I recommend this specifically, and any other healthy whole food that you absolutely love. Indulge yourself on that. For me it would be hummus too (or anything with tahini), but I guess that's not working out so well for the OP.

Well, I made vegetable soup from scratch two nights ago and ate it for dinner. Then I woke up in the morning and made tofu scramble with mushrooms, shredded carrots, ect. I ate tons of both! I've been eating the vegetable soup for breakfast and although I've not had the best for dinner the past two days, it's an improvement overall.

Oh my god I totally get addicted to processed food alla time. The health food store I live closest to has a vegan bakery...mustards!!! and I must have vegan buckeye bars or vegan wide awake cake almost every time I go there. Boca burgers are a thing for me too, I could eat one for lunch every day. I have to make a conscious choice not to buy the vegan junk food or I won't even eat fruit and veggies. Bad dreadymuffin.

Work out! That's what works for me, anyway. During the workout I remind myself that an athlete can't fuel workouts with the crepe I've been eating. I'll end up sore, with wrecked muscles from not refueling properly. It helps.

_________________"So this is guilt, huh? In the past, I've always just counteracted this feeling with other emotions, like sugar or drunk."- Veronica

I've decided I need to cut out processed food again. I made a big thing of yam/black bean chili for the week (the recipe that was on Serious Eats last week, sans cilantro, because the store was out. I think I somehow managed to use mild chipotle peppers, because it's not nearly spicy enough for me). I'm trying to eat fresh fruit if I get snack-y after dinner. The only problem with this is paying for/transporting fresh fruit. I'm going to hit up the Asian market on my lunch break.

I'm still struggling to get in greens and veggies, which is something I've never really had to think about before but have fallen out of the habit of eating. I think it's the one of the downsides of not having a car: the cheapest stores are too far away and it's tough to fit in loads of fresh fruit and veg into a backpack. I bought kale which I intend to saute with garlic. I also have wakame (when I run out, I might attempt to use nori) and frozen stir fry mixed veggies for making a fast miso soup. I did that for dinner Saturday and it was really fast and really delicious.

I'm still eating oatmeal with fruit and nut butter for breakfast. Sometimes I'll have oatmeal with a pinch of raisins as a snack at work, if I don't have anything else (right now, I don't). I don't know how you guys can do green smoothies at this time of the year! I have a decent blender now, so I might give green smoothies another try when it warms up.

I'm hoping it will all just become habit again.

_________________Karyn is actually just a collection of horrible thoughts masquerading as a person. -amandabear